by kate on August 1, 2012
Some of my fellow Anthology teammates have been on some amazing trips recently; to Italy, Tokyo, Scotland, London, and beyond. And while not all of us have stamped the passport yet this year, it’s safe to say we’re all kind of travel junkies. Dreaming about future destinations and far off places is one of our mutually shared pastimes, and we all loved soaking in the vibrant, colorful images of San Miguel de Allende in Issue No. 7. Today we’re excited to share even more of that wonderful experience through this film, shot by photographer Amy Dickerson while she was visiting. The lovely music and languid pacing make for a very peaceful, pleasant visual jaunt through the town. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
{Film by Amy Dickerson, music by David Ricketts}
I know I’ve been writing mostly about food lately, but I can’t help myself. It seems like everyone is inspired creatively by what they eat: wherever I look, I see inventive new projects celebrating food! When you also factor in our weakness here at Anthology for clever stop-motion projects, as well as our enthusiasm for the organic, slow-food movement that’s thriving in the Bay Area—it quickly becomes imperative that I share this ingenious animated film of Michael Pollan’s “Food Rules” with you, right now.
The film was created by Marija Jaćimović and Benoît Detalle for the RSA/Nominet Trust film competition. According to Marija, the film was made using composting and other food products, and was shot on a homemade tabletop set-up over a period of just three weeks. It’s impressively fluid and beautiful, and I love the decision to use only Pollan’s words as the soundtrack. His argument for organic food production is erudite, articulate, and quite compelling: the perfect balance to the animated grains and vegetables.
Unsurprisingly the film was selected as one of the top five in the competition, and it won! Congratulations to the filmmakers! I hope it inspires them to dig even deeper into their compost bins and make more delightful food-based animations.
The best part of working in print is seeing so many talents come together to form a single vision. In just one article, you have a subject, a writer, a photographer, a stylist—all collaborating to make a space or project come to life. Editors and creative directors bring a critical eye to the piece: choosing images, creating layout, adding their own final touches before it goes to the page. It’s a fascinating process to watch, and it heightens my awareness of successful creative collaborations.
The installation artwork, Reverse of Volume, by Yasuaki Onishi, is stunning in its own right—anyone in the vicinity of the Rice Gallery in Houston between now and June 24th should run to see it in person. But for those of us who can’t make it to the show, this beautifully made film by Mark and Angela Walley transports you directly to the space. Through the camera angles and pacing, you feel close to the process, and to the physical details of this massive undulating sculpture. The filmmakers did a wonderful job crafting the film to match the contemplative, tactile, and subtle grace of Yasuaki’s work. I hope you enjoy the film as much as I do, and please make your way to this exhibit if you can; it looks far too amazing to miss!
{All images from Yasuaki Onishi: Reverse of Volume (RG), by Walley Films }
by kate on April 27, 2012
Only one of my New Year’s resolutions has stuck so far: watching more documentary films. Not a very hard one, I know, but I like varying the level of arduousness on a list of goals. Several of the art and design documentaries have left a huge impression on me, and one I constantly come back to watching is Beautiful Losers. The documentary is directed by Aaron Rose, owner and director of the now closed Alleged Gallery in New York City, one of the founding members of the Beautiful Losers art movement, and the subject of our newest issue’s “Prized Possession” column.
Aaron’s talent as a director and close involvement with the movement have resulted in a film with an immediately clear, authentic, and passionate voice. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s definitely something to look forward to, possibly tonight or this weekend. It’s exciting to see the ingenuity and energy contained within this group of young artists, and to experience the artwork—which I’ve come to know so well from the exhibition—being made in studios, on walls, and out in the streets. Thank you so much to Aaron for contributing to Issue No. 7, and have a great weekend, everyone! If you watch Beautiful Losers before Monday, or if you have already seen it, please share your thoughts!
The late artist Margaret Kilgallen at work.
The entrance to Alleged Gallery in NYC.
Inside the Alleged Gallery.
A still from “The Architecture of Reassurance” (1994), a film by Mike Mills.
This week we’ve been working on a project for a future issue of the magazine that I’m very excited to see come together. I don’t want to give too much away, but as part of the research we’ve been watching a lot of inspiring video. This short film, directed by Mickey Smith, is one I couldn’t wait to share. It’s called Dark Side of the Lens, and tells the tale of a surf photographer, but it’s also a story about having passion for what you do and how you see the world. The cinematography is stunning; each still looks like a perfectly framed photo. Enjoy!
{All stills and video via Mickey Smith}
